Obverse. Photo © alnat1980
  • 2 Dollars 2012, KM# 239, Solomon Islands
  • 2 Dollars 2012, KM# 239, Solomon Islands
Description

The Solomon Islands comprise a double chain of seven large and more than thirty small islands, located just east of New Guinea. The islands were named in 1568 by the Spanish navigator Alvaro de Mendaña, who claimed that he had found the riches of King Solomon, or the biblical land of gold. Solomon Islands is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen of Solomon Islands, currently Queen Elizabeth II, as its head of state.

Obverse

Fourth crowned portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara.

The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara was a wedding present in 1947 from her grandmother, Queen Mary, who received it as a gift from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland in 1893 on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, later George V. Made by E. Wolfe & Co., it was purchased from Garrard & Co. by a committee organised by Lady Eve Greville. In 1914, Mary adapted the tiara to take 13 diamonds in place of the large oriental pearls surmounting the tiara. At first, Elizabeth wore the tiara without its base and pearls but the base was reattached in 1969. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is one of Elizabeth's most recognisable pieces of jewellery due to its widespread use on British banknotes and coinage.

Engraver: Ian Rank-Broadley

ELIZABETH II SOLOMON ISLANDS
IRB
2012

Reverse

Depicts Bokolo, denomination below.

The term 'money' is always associated with notes and coins, but such is not the case when it comes to the traditional side of the Solomon Islands. The bokolo is a form of money which people use to pay for bride price, buy land, tribal reconciliation and compensation. It is made of clam shell. On the western Solomon Islands, such shell platters were produced until the first third of the 20th century.

Engraver: Aaron Baggio

TWO DOLLARS

Edge

Seven segments with 11 reedings

2 Dollars

KM# 239
Characteristics
Material Aluminium Bronze
Weight 8.1 g
Diameter 25.6 mm
Thickness 2.3 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Australian Mint (RAM)

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